Thursday, March 26, 2015

Fighting Back Against Corruption

Today was a day of fighting back against corruption! This morning we drove over to the Delmas mayoral office to file a complaint against the 3 workers who represented themselves as working for the mayor. We spoke with the administrative official who works for the mayor, Wilson Jeudy. She immediately contacted the head of security for the mayor's office and told him about the security officials who were giving us problems. She gave him a description of the people involved. After she got off the phone she told us to call her if those guys every bother us again. She gave us her cell phone number. I then talked with a UN official and he told us to contact him again if the police officers come by the house again demanding payment of money. I told him that we were buying bibles and would be giving them each a gift of a bible. If they come back again we will be filing a complaint with the General Inspectorate of the police department. Last year they fired 814 police officers. Please keep this situation in prayer. Below is an article on Haiti Libre about the Haiti police force

In a report published this week, the General Inspectorate of the National Police of Haiti (IGPNH), presents its review for 2014, where we have summarized the highlights.

One learns that "[...] 814 police officers were dismissed from the PNH in 2014, including 717 for dereliction of duty and 97 for various reasons." The dismissal for abandonment of post, had never been applied in previous years, which explains the high number in 2014, where IGPNH decided to apply the regulation with full force "Of the 97 dismissal for various reasons, 23 were dismissed for embezzlement, 8 for drug trafficking, 7 theft, 9 for abductions, 10 for homicides, 6 for corruption and 4 for murder. ...]"

Moreover, "949 complaints against police officers have been filed by citizens for different types of violation embezzlement, abuse of authority, physical assault, assault and battery, debts, violence, denial of care, threats and confiscation of goods."

In addition, the report states that a "[...] total of 1,254 cases were opened by the various divisions of investigation for the year 2014" (being finalized) "7,047 investigation acts were they achieved, distributed, among others, in 1,886 summonses, 1,734 hearings, 1,827 retention of checks and 494 invitations. 820 records have also been finalized during the year by the investigations division. These files processed are distributed to the following types of violations: 109 for debt, 112 for assault and battery, 177 for weapon losses, 18 for mistreatment, 21 for escapes, 26 for gunshot wounds, 17 for assaults, 48 for violence and 15 for unjustified shootings [...]".

Finally, the report points out that between 1995 and 2014, 806 police officers were killed "[...] 63 have been murdered, 252 died of disease, 233 have been shot dead, 43 victims of traffic accidents and 70 victims of the earthquake in January 1010."